1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for recapping tires and particularly to apparatus for recapping large tires used on off-the-road vehicles or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus and method of the type described which facilitates recapping of tires by minimizing the manual effort to accomplish same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recapping tires of the type described requires two separate and distinct operations. One operation involves applying sufficient rubber to a previously prepared tire carcass so that the tire may be retreaded. This is referred to in the art as "smoothing". The other operation involves cutting the tread design. This is known in the art as "grooving" or "sculpturing". For purposes of describing the present invention "smoothing" and "grooving" will be hereinafter referred to.
Smoothing and grooving of the tire carcass as heretofore defined is accomplished in various ways. U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,076 issued on Apr. 30, 1974 to John Harold Barwell discloses a method of applying tread material to tires in which the tread material is extruded under pressure directly onto the periphery of the tire to bond the material to the tire. A tread pattern can be formed in the material as it is extruded.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,821 issued on Aug. 21, 1973 to Bradley E. Ragan describes a method of retreading tires wherein a cured rubber tread is vulcanized to a tire carcass.
Applying rubber to a tire carcass and then cutting a tread design into the rubber is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,714 issued on Oct. 14, 1969 to Bradley E. Ragan. This patent describes rebuilding a lugged tire tread on a previously used tire carcass in which a plurality of adhered together convolutions of uncured rubber stock are built up about a smooth periphery surface of the tire carcass, and circumferentially spaced apart transversely extending portions are thereafter removed from some of the convolutions by a knife or the like so as to define a lugged tire tread.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,222 issued on Nov. 26, 1974 to Daniel Lejuene describes a tool for cutting grooves in a tire tread, wherein the tool is heated and drive means of the type including a hydraulic jack is coupled to the tool for hauling the tool through the tread to cut the grooves.
The apparatus and methods described in the aforenoted patents, while utimately accomplishing the purposes intended, do not do so in the efficient manner of the present invention whereby the manual effort required is minimized as will be seen from the description of the invention to follow.